Daily Yellowstone journal., 1887-03-29
EVERYBODY SKATES.
CAV specTAcLeS ON THE ICY PLEAS
URE GROUNDS OF AMSTERDAM.

0sllandsche Girls and Boys he Cham
pion skaters Of the Giobe-An Army on
skstes-Remarkabls Exploits Of Some
Student Skaters
The lads and lassies of New York city
who are indulging in the inyigorating
pastime Of skating may not, perhaps, be
aware of the fact that the Hollandsche
Girls and boys are the most expert and in
vsterate skaters in all the world. No
where has the opportunity for skating
been SO thoroughly utilized, both for bust.
nsss and pleasure, as In Holland. The
pSentitude Of water courses, combined with
tie cold winters, make locomotion on ice
more practicable there than In any other
part of the inhabited globe. During the
winter months all the products from farms
and diaries within a radius Of twenty or
thirty miles from Amsterdam are brought
70 market upon ice sleds, invariably
pushed by the sturdy Beers and Boerin.
nen'' Of the country. Imagine a sled ten
feet long by four feet broad and high,
something like a box OF runners; I'LL this
mp with potatoes, cabbage or other pro
duce when coming from the farm, or with
large tins OF butter, milk or cream, il
from a dairy. Now place a strong pole
six feet long across the back part Of the
top of this vehicle; then four persons, two
of them women, will push this freight car
from Weesp to Amsterdam, sixteen Eng.
lish miles distant, in an hour and thirty
minutes, taking il very easy on the road
and refraining from discussing the feat,
- IL is one of every day occurrence.
CANALS AND ISLANDS.
- As Amsterdam Is made up Of 100 little
Islands, formed by the intersection Of
numerous canals, the click Of steel clad
feet is heard all around the tourist. The
grandest view Of humanity on wings car
be had in the environs of Amsterdam on q
space Of more than six miles square,
created by the union Of the Amstel and
the Y, the inhabitants OF Amsterdam and
vicinity are out in force, and TO see a
gathering Of 10000 skaters is nothing
wonderful. Rows Of vents, used as restau;
rants, billiard saloons, theatres, etc, meet
the eye everywhere, and the tired skater
has always a pl@e On hand where resi-
and a supply for the inner man can bt
obtained. GaZing upon this flying Assem-.
bly, the eye is dra Nn TO a couple who, hand
In hand, execute he most difficult feat Of
scientific skating, or who, in company
with others, 60 through the peculiarly in,
tricate movements Of the quadrille.
Further on a space Of 200 yards long by sc
broad is lined on both sides with specta-
tors 10 view the swiftness Of competitive
racing. Both ladies and gentlemen in
dulge in these races, and every season
prizes are offered by the city authorities
for the swiftest skater. Crossing this
skating place, you are nearly overrun by
o joyful band Of rosy checked lads and
lassies, who, believing there is speed in
union, have supplied themselves with q
eayly colored pole twenty feet long, and
placing ii under the right arm Of the
skaters, ranged one after another, ami.
hilate space with the velocity of a ract
horse.
1t is q very common exploit for students
from the Leyden academy, thirty-twc
miles distant from Amsterdam, 10 visit
the capital city for a few hours skating
with their friends and TO return TO their
alma mater on the same day. From a re-
mark made to a skating student by q gen-
tleman that his companion was an Ameri.
can, the flaps Of the tent in which the
billiard table had place were thrown open
and the American lady was treated to Q
performance strange TO foreign eyes. Over
twenty students placed themselves about
100 yards distant from the side Of the
table, and at a given signal one after the
other skated toward the tent, and increas.
ting their speed while diminishing the dis.
tance, cleared the table at a leap-surely
. pastime none but a Holland student
could indulge in.
SOLDIERS ON HATES.
II an army Of foreign soldiers ever in.
wade Holland in winter they will be treat
Cd TO surprises not provided for in any
book Of tactics outside Of the Netherlands.
The infantry Of Holland are furnished
with skates by the war department and
perform eyolutions upon the frozen sur.
face Of Hollands watercourses with in
creiO d facility and with the same exacti.
tude as upon dry land. To see n complete
regiment Of soldiers, l,200 strong, all on
akates, from colonel down, wheel into line
by companies, ready for evening parade,
would gladden. the hearts Of the G. A. X.
boys who have seen the picture Of Wash.
ington crossing the Delaware. The adju.
tAnt Of such a regiment has to he q rapid
skater, and TO prevent any Of New York's
soldiery from going TO Holland 10 claim
superiority, the official record Of the adju.
tant Of the Holland Sixth infantry ID
quoted below:
Date, Dec. 10. Distance skated, SAG.
English yards. Time, o minutes and 81
seconds.
In addition to the thousands Of skaters
Of all classes, dressed in divers strange
and quaint costumes peculiar 10 Holland,
the tourist is given a view Of long process
nor Of sleds Of all shapes and ages drawn
BY horses. Outside Of skaters and sleds,
90 as not TO interfere with either, the
white winged Ice boats are beating an
American locomotive record, and are well
adapted for use by a people renowned for
furnishing the greatest Arctic explorers
OF their time.-New York World.
Dapdles of Flthsr Ser